According to Serge F. Kovaleski and Steve Eder of the New York Times, Rodriguez grew so frustrated with what he perceived to be lack of support from the players union that he had one of his lawyers write a letter in late August to formally request that the union step aside as his chief representative on his arbitration panel for his appeal.

The letter, which was obtained by The New York Times and has not been previously reported, was dated Aug. 22 and sent on the letterhead of Reed Smith, one of the law firms representing Rodriguez. In it, Rodriguez’s lawyers notified the players association that they believed the union failed to “fairly represent his interests” regarding Major League Baseball’s investigation of Biogenesis of America, a South Florida anti-aging clinic that baseball officials say dispensed banned substances to ballplayers, including Rodriguez.

The letter argued that the players association had missed opportunities to challenge baseball officials’ aggressive investigative tactics; that the union had not strongly enough condemned baseball’s “gratuitous leaks” to the news media; and, most pointedly, that Michael Weiner, the union’s executive director, had publicly compromised Rodriguez’s position in a radio interview when he signaled that Rodriguez should have accepted some type of suspension “based on the evidence we saw.” Rodriguez and his personal lawyers have steadfastly maintained that Rodriguez should not have been suspended.

The union “has made matters worse by failing to protest M.L.B.’s thuggish tactics in its investigation, including paying individuals to produce documents and to testify on M.L.B.’s behalf, and bullying and intimidating those individuals who refuse to cooperate with their ‘witch hunt’ against the players — indeed principally Mr. Rodriguez,” the letter said.

The letter was addressed to David Prouty, the players association’s general counsel, with the aim of replacing the union’s lawyer for his arbitration hearing. It appears that Rodriguez got his wish, as Prouty served on the panel as his representative this week. Who knows where this is going, but our own Craig Calcaterra speculated yesterday that part of A-Rod’s grand plan may be to have the union take a stand against him in order to blow up the arbitration process.

While Rodriguez’s hearing is scheduled to continue in mid-October, his representatives are busy ramping up the rhetoric. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, attorney Joe Tacopina, issued a statement today calling MLB’s efforts to suspend Rodriguez a “crusade” and a “shameful endeavor.” Fun times.